US said to tell Israel that Iran showing ‘surprising openness’ on transferring its uranium stockpile overseas

US said to tell Israel that Iran showing ‘surprising openness’ on transferring its uranium stockpile overseas

TOI

US officials have told Israel they are “optimistic” about reaching a framework agreement with Iran on ending the war, according to a Channel 12 report. This assessment has also reportedly been conveyed by US President Donald Trump to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to the latest “update” conveyed to Israel by the Americans, Iran is showing “surprising openness” regarding the transfer of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to a third country. But there is no agreement on which country that would be. Without agreement on this issue, Trump told Netanyahu in their latest call, there will be no deal, the report says, citing two Israeli officials.

Israel is concerned by the lack of attention being paid to the issue of Iran’s ballistic missile program, the report also says. Israel wants to see a clause in the framework agreement that would limit the range of Iranian ballistic missiles, even though there would be credible means of ensuring Iranian compliance with any such clause, or with any provisions intended to limit Iran’s ballistic missile production.

While “part of the Iranian leadership” is apparently open to “significant steps” on the path to a framework agreement, including on the issue of removing Iran’s uranium stockpile, Israel and the Americans are wary of the potential for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to thwart such a deal, the report continues. Israel, it says, remains braced for all scenarios, including the collapse of the negotiations.